India, June 28 -- Before the first T20I, India could still defend the decision to hold Vaibhav Sooryavanshi back. The argument was simple: he is 15, this is international cricket, and there is no need to rush him when India already have enough top-order options. After Belfast, that argument is much weaker.

India lost after taking the safer route. The established batting structure was backed, the more familiar names were used, and India were still bowled out for 148 in a chase of 183. That changes the selection debate completely. This is no longer about giving a teenager a debut for excitement. It is about asking whether India can afford to keep their most explosive young batter on the bench after the batting unit has already failed.

The...